Dabo Swinney: "There's nowhere to hide on the practice field"

Feel the difference - The best user experience on mobile devices or personal computers. Avoid clickbait and sites bloated with advertising!  Join us today for just $1 or get a full year for $63.17.

The ACC Network kicked off with a bang last night and this morning on the debut episode of Packer and Durham, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney joined the show.

The set, located in Mark Packer’s basement is littered with ACC memorabilia, but one item, Clemson’s latest College Football Playoff trophy, really stood out and Coach Swinney wanted to check in on the Tigers’ hardware.

"Good morning, you didn't lose that trophy did you?” Swinney asked.

"I only sleep about two hours a night anyhow. And I thought about coming down here to the basement just to make sure it wasn't going to go anywhere before the show,” Packer responded. “You're gonna get that thing back to you before you know it."

The three continued their conversation and Swinney addressed the issue of getting ready for a Yellow Jacket team that no one as ever seen play under new head coach Geoff Collins. 

"This is always the hardest game to get ready for, and we’ve got more time to get ready for it. But probably the biggest challenge, not only do they have a new staff, (it’s a) completely new scheme, so it's just all amplified."

Fortunately for Clemson, last season they had a similar situation given their early-season matchup with Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher.

"Watching Temple, just like last year getting ready to play Texas A&M-- we spent the whole time watching Florida State and Notre Dame because that's where they came from. You spend all this time watching Temple and then sometimes you get caught up in the personnel, but you're not playing that person, you're just trying to get ready for their schemes,” Swinney noted.

As for the Tigers, Swinney thinks the challenges they faced in camp will have them prepared for next Thursday.

"The good news is in fall camp, you spend a lot of time working on yourself and installing all of your defense, all of your offense. Our offense, in particular, has been challenged by lots and lots of different looks." 

Clemson’s defensive line will be held to a high standard given the results up front the past few season and the two-time national championship head coach is ready to see what’s in store as well. 

"I'm kind of anxious to see them too. They've done a nice job. We're very different than we were last year-- just proven, savvy veterans that were relentless to win every week,” Swinney stated. “This is a group that is very young-- I mean, they're talented. The good news is they are very talented, the bad news is that we hardly have any experience."

As for experience only Xavier Thomas, Justin Foster, Nyles Pinckney, and Jordan Williams have really played any significant snaps.  

“Everybody else is just kind of getting ready to figure it out here quickly,” Swinney said. "You're going to see us a little different this year will play a lot of guys. Well probably play nine to eleven guys (on the defensive line) every single game."

Thankfully for Swinney, the group has gone up against a very experienced offensive line. The Tigers will start four seniors and new left tackle Jackson Carman in 2019. That offensive front has helped prepare the defensive line for the year.

Competitiveness has been key for Swinney’s team through the years, but the past few seasons you could argue that the most talented units that Clemson sees are the ones they face at practice.

"We've been successful. Yes, we have good players. But what we play in our league weekend and week out. And then also, what we practice against every day that is our competitive advantage.” Swinney stated. “We have good people on both sides of the ball, that really challenge each other and the practices are competitive. You just have to show up every day with that edge every day or you get exposed. There's nowhere to hide on the practice field."

As for their schedule, it still comes down to focusing on themselves. Swinney does his best to keep everyone on the team believing that if they do their part the team will be successful.

"We don't talk much about the opponent. And it doesn't matter who we're playing. We get ready for who they are, what they do, but it's really about Clemson. That's how we go about it every week,” Swinney noted. “Playing to the standard. Having a winning performance and understanding that if we put the work in, and practice, and compete like we need too, then we'll be ready for game day."

Before wrapping up the interview Swinney was asked about former Clemson athletic director Terry Don Philips. Phillips was recently given an honorary degree from Clemson and Swinney was happy that he could be a part of that moment.

"All of us here at Clemson, enjoying where we are as a program-- none of us would be here if it wasn't for Terry Don. He was the one that gave me the opportunity to be the interim (head coach). Then he hired me and gave me the opportunity to lead the program. (He) just really believed in me from the beginning. So appreciative of him, and all that he has meant to me personally, and to Clemson University."